I am a full-time mom of two who enjoys creating in many forms: cooking, sewing, writing, photography. This blog is a personal challenge to document my adventures in family and creativity.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Book Review and Giveaway!

I am thrilled and honored to be today's stop on the blog tour for Christina Cameli's new book, First Steps to Free Motion Quilting! Even if Christina wasn't a dear friend, member of Portland Modern Quilt Guild, kick-butt quilter, and all-around amazing person I would have reviewed this book for you because it is That Good.

I have always admired people who can do free motion quilting and do it well. It always seemed like such an unattainable skill to me. Then Christina taught at PMQG about fmq on your home machine and I was hooked. Still nervous about screwing up a big project but I loved the personality and individuality free motion designs could give to quilts.

This book not only teaches the basics for learning how to free motion quilt but also has a bunch of great smaller projects to get you practicing. Even this amazing quilt is done just one square at a time - and is a new-to-me take on quilt as you go - so you don't need to worry about practicing on a super-beloved project right at the start.

Christina shares her wealth of knowledge about free motion quilting as well as lots of tips and tricks to help you feel comfortable as you work on this skill. And the projects are all simple to construct so that the focus can be getting in that fmq practice time.

I've always been a huge fan of leaves and branches so I really loved the placemat project featuring botanical designs.

I followed Christina's advice about practicing and doodling first, just to get a feel for how the design worked.

Then I got to stitching on simple placemats pieced from scraps from my last table runner project.

I even tried some of the pebble designs because, you know, why not!

And this is the back of the first practice piece/placemat! Seriously! I totally did that!!! High five!

I moved on to an all-over branching design on the next piece and L. O. V. E. it. This is how far I got before my bobbin ran out and made me stop and take a break.

I truly thought this was a skill beyond my grasp, but Christina's book is so encouraging and inspiring that I know I will be adding much more free motion quilting to my work from now on. In addition to all of the fundamentals and the practice projects, there's a GREAT section in the back on troubleshooting.

Does all this make you want to get your hands on a copy? Because Stash Books has generously offered one for me to give away! Just comment on this post and tell me what your biggest fear is about free motion quilting and I'll randomly choose a winner next Wednesday, October 9. If the winner is in the US they may choose a paper or e-book. An international winner will receive an e-book.

151 comments:

Your branches look great! I can't figure out how much of my lousy FMQing is a result of my machine's inability to go slow, my total lack of guidance in the process (except for a few of Christina's videos), or an experience/skill problem. Hopi g this book will help me sort that out!

i have done a lot of stippling and even some swirls/loops, but i've not been brave enough to try much more with fmq. i love the idea of combining designs like the pebbles/circles with lines alongside them. looks like a great book with lots of designs to try! thanks for a chance!!

My one fear of FMQ is that my quilting at the beginning of a design does not look the same at the end. If I would just practice more maybe I can be more consistent! Thanks for a chance to win a book that should definitely help me.

love the done is better than perfect project - I think that's what scares me the most - that I think it has to be perfect. Love your placemat quilting - its fabulous and looks great from the back - definite high five - thanks for the encouragement !

Yes it does! Your quilting came out so nice, did you practice a lot and only show us only the perfect stuff? ;-> I wish my practice pieces were a at least passable. I just have no rhythm or smoothness to my attempts. I would love this book, I need ALL the help I can get

I have been following this blog hop and I really would like to win this book....My greatest fear with FMQ is that my FMQ will have supposed-to-be-smooth curves coming out looking like triangle sides instead....

I have free motioned smaller projects but my biggest fear is LARGE quilt. I am afraid that I will mess up the stitching near the beginning and will have to go back and rip out.I guess getting more confident as I go along will help.I really like the projects in this book and would love to try them out.

I would love to win this book. I am afraid of FMQ period! I doubt that I am coordinated enough to make anything look good so I haven't tried. I need some basic tips to get me started that's for sure. Lisa.Imperfectseams@gmail.com

My biggest fear of FMQ is irregular stitches- either way too long or short little peck-like stitches. And the thought of doing FMQ over a whole quilt- even lap size seems overwhelming. I think this is the book for me- smaller projects to practice on and lots of good tips and clear instructions. I like the wall hanging-"Done is better than perfect". It's perfect for me!!

I'm dying to get my hands on this book! My biggest fear when it comes to FMQ is that I'll mess up the quilting on a quilt that I put so much effort into. I'm loving the idea of little projects to start out. Thanks for the chance to win!

After all the time and work I put into making the quilt top, what if I ruin it with bad quilting? And how will the quilting design ever turn out correctly? This book would be a great help. Thank you for the opportunity to win the book and get me started machine quilting.

I am really not fearful, but time is a problem. When I have to put a project down, by the time I get back to it, my quilting is a little different than it was before. All in all it's okay. I am still giving it my best shot, right? Thank you for the giveaway! I would love this book!

My biggest fear is those horrible teeth in the back. I can't seem to get that right. Mabye this book can fix that for me. Last time I tried to FMQ I was breaking thread left and right. Only after new needles and nice thread did it seem to get a little better. But I'm determined to learn!

My biggest fear is starting. I just am afraid that I will ruin all my beautiful piecing work. This book looks great. I can also never think of what to quilt and this books looks like it is full of ideas. Thanks for the chance to win.Shawn

I really love the concept of usable projects - not just ugly sandwiches in high contrast thread - as we practiced at my LQS - bleh. My biggest fear is ruining a pretty nice quilt top with my quilting - so I usually straightline quilt.

What a wonderful book to win. FMQ has been/is my biggest cant go there might mess up fear. And I end up using my walking foot to quilt instead every time. I would love to learn how to let go and quilt fabulous patterns.

The FMQ in your book First Steps to free motion quilting looks helpful for those wanting to move on from stippling. My stippling looks good, but I need a helpful book with new ideas and suggestions. I'd like to win your new book so I could have fun practicing the designs suggested. Looks fun!

Following along on the projects from your book makes me want to try again. I have taken a few classes in FMQ and just did not "get it" and the results were, well, pitiful. I want to make my projects POP with good and interesting quilting and just thought it was not possible. Maybe, just maybe, this might be possible. Thanks for writing this book!!!

My biggest fears are that I will be going along smoothly and make some Herky Jerky move or not pay attention and get 'cornered.' Thanks for the encouragement to get serious about it and practice on small pieces. Would love the book!

My fear is of just getting started! And you expressed my thoughts exactly with this quote:"I truly thought this was a skill beyond my grasp, but Christina's book is so encouraging and inspiring that I know I will be adding much more free motion quilting to my work from now on."I would love to win a copy of this book so the above quote can even better describe me!

I hear/read people say they look at their quilt and it tells them what design to do, I on the other hand stare and stare and still don't know where or what to start. Maybe this book will help me develop a group of designs to choose from.

My biggest fear is that I will have bunching again like I have had in the past and will have to spend hours and hours unpicking. I also had a mini meltdown last time I tried on my machine when I would resmooth the quilt sandwich over and over and it would still bunch...sprayed AND pinned. There should be no crying in quilting. I need to get back on up that horse and give it a go again. Maybe not with a Christmas gift with a deadline again.

I really want to win a copy of this book to practice with. I am so frightened of messing up a quilt that I have put a lot of money and time into. These practices I think will be just what I need! Oh please pick me!

My biggest fear is that it will look odd or wrong. My barrier to FMQ at the moment is equipment (I don't think I have the right foot (??) for my machine and skill level in that I've made two doll's quilts and that is the extent of my quilting experience.

I'm somewhat of a perfectionist, so my biggest fear is others will notice my mistakes too. I always try to use a backing where the fabric blends really well & doesn't show. Thanks for the opportunity to win this book.

I'm afraid that I will have spent a lot of time and energy and I won't be happy with the results. I don't like to waste time (even if that time is learning sometimes.) I am practicing though right now. They are very far from perfect outcomes, but it is part of the process and I might just finish quilting all my tops so I can finally piece another top with no guilt! Thanks for the giveway.

My parents always stressed doing a good job in everything - homework, house cleaning, jobs. Sloppy work was a no-no. Usually, I send my tops to long arm quilters so the finished quilt is perfect. Recently, I've been trying to overcome my upbringing, and have been attempting FMQ. This book would come in handy right now.

My biggest fear about machine quilting is of course using the "wrong" design that makes the quilt stink instead of sing...it's hard for me to get started because I'm afraid of making mistakes, and we all know what a pita reverse sewing is!!

My biggest fear is uneven stitches. My first FMQ tries looked so bad. Then I decided to try FMQ on my older sewing machine and it seems to be easier to get even stitches. Go figure. Of course, I still need a lot more practice. -- soparkaveataoldotcom

My biggest fear is stitch size - tiny stitches to long stitches to a perfect length stitches. I haven't fmq'd much, but the few times I did it was on potholders for my kitchen because it didn't matter if they weren't perfect!

I now am aware that FMQ takes lots of practice. My brain doesn't like repeating tasks over and over(it's called practice) so that is the big hurdle I need to overcome. This books claims to make learning fun so I am all for that. Thanks.